Square shaking-grate.



No. 706,546. Patented Aug. l2. I902.

F. W., FOSTER. SQUARE SHAKINEGRATE.

[Application am a, 1901.)

(No initial.)

m. 706,546. Patented Au l2, I902.

. F. w. rosnan. I

SQUARE SHAKING GRATE.

(Application filed Dec. 2, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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FRANK W. FOSTER, OF ME'LROSE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SQUARES HAKlN G-G RATE.

SIECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,546, dated August 12, 1902. Application filed December 2, 1901. Serial No. 84,358. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK W. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Melrose, in the county of lWliddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Square Shaking- Grates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in improvements in shaking grates for boilers and furnaces, whereby the grate is constructed in such manner as to make all its parts readily interchangeable and susceptible of quick renewal or repair, while preserving every advantage necessary to strength and solidity of construction. By myimprovements all the effective grate-surface is conserved and Sta-- tionary surfaces are furnished which prevent gaps from being formed in the fire-supporting surface during the agitation of the movable grate-bars.-

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of my invention, Figure l is a top plan View of a square shaking-grate. Fig. 2 is an end view of the grate shown in.Fig.'1

viewed from the left. Fig. 3 is a partial ver-.

tical longitudinal section showing the disposition of the rocker-bars, grate-bars, and end extension-pieces in their, relationship to the frame of the grate. spective showing one of the end extensionpieces and the means for securing the same in place on the grate. Fig.5 is a Vertical cross-section of the grate, showing therear portion thereof. This section is viewed from the left of Fig. 1 and is taken at the left of the legs A which are at the right-hand end of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a full vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 7 illustrates the application of some of my improvements to a round grate. Fig. 8 shows one of the rocker-bars of Fig. 6 detached and in perspective.

The frame of my improved grate is put together without bolts or rigidfastenings, the several component portions of the grateframe being constructedso' that they slide into interlocking relationship with each other and so that the grate may be dismantled and taken down at a moments notice and with out the aid of even the simplest tools. The grate rests upon side frames A, whereof one is shown in side elevation in Fig. 6. Each Fig; 4 is a detail in per of these side frames has legs A preferably cast as an integral part'of the frames. The cross-beam A which supports the rocking and slidinglgrate-bars B at their rear ends, has at its two ends the downwardly-projecting tongues A between which lie the slots A at each end of the beam A These slots, Fig. 5, are of sufficient width to admit the side frames A. Thus the beam A can be slipped over the frames A, the tongues A embracing the frames. In order to prevent the beam A from rocking or slipping, I provide lugs A on each side of the frames A or on the legs A Figs. 5 and 6, which lugs are spaced apart sufficiently to admit and conline the tongues A At the front and rear ends of the side frames A brackets A are provided, upon which lugs A, similar to the lugs A are secured or cast integrally, the lugs A furnishing the interlocking means whereby the end beams A are secured to the side frames A. The end beams A" are provided with tonguesA which slip over the brackets A and between the lugs A. It will be seen from this description that the frame of my improved grate can be at once assembled without the aid of tools merely by setting up the side frames A and slipping the cross-beam A andend beams A into the places provided forthem, when the entire rectangular frame will be properly and rigidly secured together. Redistribution of these ,parts is accomplished asreadily as their assemblage.

In theside frames A are located the tapering notches A A, which are preferably round at the bottom. These notches serve as rocker-bearings for the rocker-bars O. The

rocker-bars C are notched or slotted at their ends, so as to slip over the side frames A,

and just above the said notches filler-lugs G? their pivots, which rocking is, however, limited by the size of the top openings of the notches A A Each of the rocker-bars C carries the upwardly-extending rocker-heads O. The grate is provided with a plurality of rocker-bars, such as C, whereon the rockerheads are so placed that the rocker-heads in one bar stand opposite the gaps between the rocker-heads of the other rocker-bar. Each rocker-bar is slotted at 0 (see Fig. 2,) so as to permit the securement of the shaker attachments (J to which are joined the shaking-handles O 4 The fire-suppo'rtingsurfacein myimproved grate consists of a plurality of longitudinallyremovable grate-bars B. These grate-bars rest at their front ends upon the rocker-heads O of the rocker-bars, the longitudinal webs B of the grate-bars being notched at B and B to receive the said rocker-heads and are supported at their rear ends upon the crossbeam A which is provided with suitable bearings A Fig. 5,which, receiving thelower edges of the webs B, retain the grate-bars in alinement and guide them in their move ments. The longitudinal webs B give the grate-bar the requisite stiffness and sustain the fire-supporting surface, which consists of the branches B which extend laterally on either side of each web B and are set at an acute angle to the saidwebs. As the gratebars extend back from. the front to rear r of the grate, the action of a slice-bar or hoe in the hands of a fireman will be back and forth along the length of the grate-bars. By placing the branches B at an angle to the webs B, I prevent the slice-bar from slipping between the branches, as it would if they stood at right angles to the webs. means and for this reason breakage of the branches B is avoided. At intervals along the length of each grate-bar the opposite branches are integrally joined, as at B so that the two portions of each grate-bar are securely tied at intervals along its length. The grate-bars B are provided with longitudinally-extending fingers B at each end, and these fingers cooperate with the extensionpieces D. These end extension-pieces D are secured to the stationary end beams A on the frame by means of the sockets D which receive the stems D of the extension-pieces. The extension-pieces are provided, further, with fiat-topped fingers D, which are symm etrically disposed with relation to the stern D their upper ends and are integral with the cross-head d, from which depends the stem D The sectional construction of the end extension-pieces avoids the dangers due to warping, which is likely to occur in a larger casting. The symmetrical arrangement of the fingers D also provides a safeguard against warping of the individual sections. The tops of the fingers D when the end extension-pieces D are in place extend to sub- By this The fingers D are wholly separated at stantially the same level as the tops of the grate-bars B, and the fingers D and the end fingers B of the grate-bars dovetail or mesh together as the grate-bars are agitated. As shown in Fig. 1, the movement of the gratebar away from one of the end extensionpieces D causes no gap to be formed in the fire supporting surface, the overlapping length of the fingers B and D being a trifle greater than the length of movement of the grate-bars. The grate-bars B are arranged in alternation, so that the agitation of any one rocker-bar causes alternate grate-bars to be vibrated. The construction, however, of the grate-bars with relation to the rocker-bars is such that anyone ofthe grate-bars may change position with another and be equally well adapted to its new position. Each grate-bar B is provided with as many rocker-head-engaging notches as there are rocker bars. Thus, as in the illustration herein shown with reference to the rocker-bars 0, each grate-bar B is provided with notches B and B, so that the grate-bars which are supported by one of the rocker bars are interchangeable with those of the other rocker-bars, in one case the notch B engaging with the rocker-head while the notch B is idle and in the other case the notch B doing duty instead of the notch B All of the parts of this grate are assembled without the aid of bolts or similar fastenings, the sliding and fitting joints forming a perfectly secure and rigid mode of erecting the structure.

' The arrangement of sectional end extension-pieces and grate-bars provided with projecting end fingers can be applied to a round grate as well as to a square grate, and I have illustrated such application in Fig. 7, where the end fingers B of the grate-bars interlock with the fingers D of the end extensionpieces. In this case the end extension-pieces are necessarily segmental in shape to suit the circular form of the grate and are provided with apertures D which provide air-spaces in those portions of the end extension-pieces which fill out the grate-surface to its circumference.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.

1. In a rocking grate, the combination of notched side frames, a notched rocker-bar, the side frames and rocker bar mutually embraced by the notches in the rocker-bar and side frames, respectively, the side-frame notches being wider than the rocker-bar is thick, to give play to the rocker-bar to rock in the side-frame notches, the sides of said notches serving as stops to the rocker-bar motion.

2. In a rocking grate, the combination of notched side frames, a rocker-bar, notched to embrace the side frames, the rocker-bar embraced by the side-frame notches, said notches being wider than the rocker-bar is thick, to give play to the rocker-bar, the rocker-bar held from lateral movement by the side frames in the rocker-bar notches, substantially as described.

3. In a rocking grate, the combination of notched side frames, a rocker-bar, the rockerbar embraced by the side-frame notches, which are wider than the rocker-bar is thick, to give play to the rocker-bar, the rocker-bar provided with filler-lugs which occupy substantial] y the entire width of the said notches at the bottom thereof.

4. In a rocking grate, the combination of notched side frames, a'notched rocker-bar,

the side frames and rocker-bar mutually embraced, each by the notches of the other, the side -frame notches being Wider than the rocker-bar is thick, to give the rocker-bar play to work, the rocker-bar provided with filler-lugs which occupy substantially the entire width of the side-frame notches fatthe bottom thereof.

5. In a rocking grate, the combination of a plurality of parallel grate-bars, mounted to reciprocate longitudinally, means for longitudinally agitating the grate-bars, end finslots to embrace the side frames, and lugs on the side frame to confine the front and rear end beams and cross-beam when in position on the side frames, substantially as described.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 25th day of November, 1901.

FRANK W. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

ROBERT GUsHMAN, FRANK S. HARTNETT. 

